Notebook.

Nu's Perrelli Relishes Tough Non-conference Test At Niu

Unlike many coaches, Northwestern's Don Perrelli doesn't cringe at the thought of playing a tough non-conference opponent on the road while the conference race is in progress.

"At this time of the year we want to play," says Perrelli, whose Wildcats (10-13, 6-7 Big 10) will travel to Northern Illinois (11-9, 7-3 Midwestern Collegiate) for a Tuesday night game. "I'd like to have games like this every other day."

Practice is difficult for Northwestern because injuries to sophomore forwards Katrina Hannaford and Tricia Haugen and senior forwards Noreen Nolan and Anique Whitmore have left him with only 10 players. One of them, redshirt freshman forward Kenya Key, recently came off the disabled list and has played only two minutes in two games.

The injuries to Nolan (knee) and Whitmore (multiple) were ended their careers. It's unlikely Haugen, who has neck problems, will be back and Perrelli fears the stress fracture to Hannaford's right fibula that caused her to miss two games over the weekend will end her season.

Before missing Friday's 65-52 victory over Ohio State and Sunday's 86-62 loss to Penn State, Hannaford had played 47 of a possible 48 games during her collegiate career and started 42. This season she is averaging 11.7 points and 5.5 rebounds.

While Northwestern has lost four of its last five games, Northern Illinois has won four of its last five for new coach Liz Galloway-McQuitter, including two last week on the road.

Stallworth's output declined to 14 points in the 85-68 triumph at Cleveland State, but Pottinger and Lockett continued to produce big numbers. Pottinger scored 26 points and Lockett piled up 18 points and 13 rebounds.

As the season hits the homestretch, Pottinger is in a position to become the top free throw shooter in Division I women's basketball. She sank all 10 of her foul shots in the two games, giving her a season percentage of .901.

Badgers big draw: A sellout crowd of 11,500-biggest women's turnout in the Big 10 this year-showed up Sunday in the Wisconsin Field House and left disappointed when the Badgers were knocked off by Michigan State 78-62.

Senior forward Keisha Kelley of the Spartans was chosen Big 10 Player of the Week after getting 26 points on 11-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds and four assists against Wisconsin and 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in Friday's 62-55 victory at Iowa.

The race: Even though Leslie Johnson, last year's national freshman of the year, is no longer with Purdue for what coach Lin Dunn refers to as "personal reasons," the Boilermakers have won seven straight, own an 18-6 record and lead the Big 10 at 10-3.